Moving on
by theraincanttouchus
Summary: Saying goodbye to things and places is hard, but it comes easier when the person who made them special in the first place is still there with you. Damian helps Colin to move out of the orphanage and into his new house. As much fluff as I could do with Damian involved
1. Moving out

Hi! I really hope you haven't gotten tired of me writing Damian Wayne, I just love the kid and miss him so freaking much, and I love this boys friendship it's so cute, and I wish we'd gotten more of it. This is also on my tumblr (which link is in my profile, you know, just in case n_n) in case that you have seen it before.

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><p>"Why do you even have all these crap, Wilkes?" Damian asks gathering old newspaper with superheroes pictures into a box labeled 'superhero stuff', which, on Damian's mind, sounds incredibly stupid.<p>

"It isn't crap, and because I like them" says Colin, sporting a barely there scowl and throwing his clothes into another box labeled 'clothes'.

"I don't understand your obsession with "superheroes" most of them are just morons with powers and weird costumes"

The redhead snorts "Yeah cus you're one to talk about weird costumes"

"That's not the point" he says glaring.

Colin takes a deep breath "The point Damian, is that I collect the articles for what all of the superheroes represent" he says closing the box.

"Which would be?" Damian asks doing the same.

"Hope, and goodness and the desire of helping people for the sake of it, even when you're so powerful you could just dominate the world with just a thought" he explains a little annoyed, sitting on the stripped bed and changing the song because it's too depressive, which isn't surprising since it's Damian's IPod.

"Some of them have tried" the kid counters before occupying the space next to his friend, the ginger only sighs.

"I know you don't like them, and you have your own valid reasons for it, but I find them inspiring and they were what kept me going when I was at my lowest, so I'd like to have them with me even when I'm no longer there"

Damian thinks about it, deciding that going for a fight isn't a wise decision right now "The ironic part is that someone out there is probably saying that same thing about you" he says half smiling.

"You really believe that" Colin asks a wide grin on his face.

"I know they are, or will be, as much as I know that the side that's in jail because of you is cursing your very existence, particularly because of the mark they're sporting thanks to you" he says elbowing his friend on the ribs.

"Thanks, I'm sure that they've been saying that about you for a long time, both sides" he laughs, and it sounds kind of strange even to his own ears, he hasn't laughed in quite some time, which is even stranger considering he should be happy, and that, he thinks, is the worst feeling in the world, knowing that you should be happy but not being able of actually feeling happy.

Damian ogles him, it's been a time since his friend has laughed, or looked this relaxed for that matter, it lifts a little weight from his shoulders, not that he's willing to ever admit it, but he's been worried about him for some time. That's the only reason why he doesn't say that 'everyone cares only for the mantle, not who's beneath it', they can discuss his not-exactly-insecurities later.

"I still don't understand" says the kid softly; playing with the artifact "what could they see on me? I'm almost a teen, everyone knows that no one adopts teenagers" he looks up searching for his friend's eyes.

"They are not pedophiles or anything like that, I investigated them" he says, meeting his friend's gaze.

"I know you did" he lowers his sight again, playing with the band aid on his hand "but why did they choose me then?"

"They must have seen something in you" the kid looked at him puzzled, he shrugs looking away "you are athletic, not as annoying as you could be, smart in your own way" he interrupts himself at the sound of his friend laughing out loud.

"Thanks Damian" the ginger says the moment he's able to breath properly "you're awesome in your own way, too" with this he starts to giggle like a maniac and Damian is dimly considering testing him for the Joker's venom. He settles on just rolling his eyes.

They spent some minutes in silence, Colin coming down from his fit of laughter and Damian, secretly, enjoying it.

"I'll miss this place" the ginger says longingly looking around him. The room's small and the walls are plain beige, it looks smaller and lifeless without his stuff, but it was his.

"You'll have a better one" Damian's also inspecting the room, they had really good times in it.

"That's not the point" says Colin quoting him "I mean remember when we did that hole in the wall?" he says pointing the wall opposite to the bed.

Damian smiles softly "We? Not my fault you're a terrible shooter, Wilkes"

"That was the first time I ever shot darts" he punches him lightly "besides, remember that I almost beat you the moment I got how to do it"

"I had a broken wrist"

"Yes but it wasn't the wrist you were shooting with" he points out giving him a playful smirk.

They stay in silence, again, but it's a comfortable one, while they inspect the room, memories flooding through their minds.

"You'll get over it" says Damian matter-of-factly.

"How could you know?" Colin snaps, this is a sensitive issue and they are dancing on the edge.

Damian looks at him astounded until the realization hits him, he hasn't, explicitly at least, told him "I haven't lived in Gotham all my life, I came to live here when I was ten" Colin's brows furrow a little as he processes what he just heard.

"Where did you live before?"

"A lot of places" he says, shrugging a small frown appearing on his face "My mother and I used to move quite often"

"Did you have one place that you would return to often?"

"Like a home?" he asks, receiving a nod as answer "sort of, one in England and one in India, they weren't what I would call a home but we returned to them more frequently than to any other place" he says playing with the hem of his shirt, the frown still in his face.

"How were they?" the ginger gets closer, interest peaking quickly.

"Do you really wish to talk about this?" he says quirking his eyebrow in a way that, Colin knows, he picked from Dick.

"Humor me?" he, kind of, asks with puppy eyes, sadness hidden behind them, which is the only reason why Damian agrees.

"The one in England was made of stone, it wasn't nearly as big as the other places we stayed in, but that wasn't an issue, it was a perk actually, thanks to that I got to see my mother more frequently" he clears his throat "in the one in India I stayed with my grandfather, he taught me how to play chess and told me stories about my father, we stopped visiting that place after he died" he shrugged, Colin decided not to say anything, he already knew that story, he died when Damian was six and came back to life not so long ago.

"Do you miss them?" whether he's talking about the places or his mother's side of the family is left unsaid, so Damian chooses the easier one.

"Sometimes, more out of habit than anything, but the manor is big and old enough to resemble the former places I lived in" he looks at the clock, it points almost six o'clock "it's time to get this things out, your… the people who adopted you will be here in ten minutes" he says standing up.

Colin follows him before stopping and hugging him, it's quick and barely there, mostly because he knows how much Damian despites physical contact, but it's a hug even if he doesn't even give the kid time to react before he goes grabbing the box of 'clothes'.

"Are you coming?" he asks over his shoulder, pointing at the 'superhero stuff' box and smirking because finally, he was finally able to outwit Damian.

The black haired kid only shakes his head, smiling softly, the change may be a little too radical and kind of sudden but it was for the best, he admits, just this one time and only to himself, that he would miss this place, if only because it has a fire stair and it was fairly easy to get into it.

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><p>So what do you think?(I might make another one with them moving into Colin's new house... but that'll come later n_n)<p>

The idea of Colin leaving the orphanage came after re-reading Streets of Gotham when Dami gives him the bike? Colin says that there's a new foster family visiting and Idk I thought "let's do it"

Anyway, thanks for reading, Love you n_n


	2. Moving in

You know, writing this kinda reminder me Afternoon song(other fic I have of these two guys) anyway I really enjoyed it and love the idea of Damian and Colin being friends, Damian needs more friends of his age...

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><p>The couple arrives just in time for Damian to hide behind some ambushes, after helping Colin getting the boxes out. From there, he watches as they get out of their car and greet him, the man's thirty one with dark hair and brown eyes, the woman's twenty nine, red hair and green eyes, it's a weird contrast he thinks. It also kind of reminds him of Grayson and Gordon, he rolls his eyes at this.<p>

The weirder part of the entire situation is that, as he looks at the three of them standing outside the building, he can't help but think about the fact that they fit well together, that they actually look like a family, and that maybe that's why they chose Colin, because it went well with them. He knows it's not entirely true, he saw them watching as all the kids played soccer and Colin was alone reading a comic, he heard some of their conversations, by accident while he was sneaking in and out the orphanage, of course, and knows that the woman's got attached with Colin because of how good he is with everyone and his bright smile, her words.

He hears them laugh at some joke the man makes and put the boxes in their red Chevrolet 2004, he knows, thanks to his investigation, that, even though they aren't rich they still have enough wealth to be considered fitting as adoptive parents, the new family leave as soon they're done with the boxes.

He goes to the garage he gave Colin, almost a year ago, where his bike is secured and grabs it before starting the engine, driving to the house he knows they live in and parking one block away, just out of sight.

Luckily, they haven't arrived yet, which gives him enough time to climb through the branches covered wall that leads to Colin's new bedroom, and yes maybe he was too thorough with the investigation, it was a quirk he picked up from his father and it's useful in the field so who cares. He opens the window sliding into the room and going to the wardrobe that's near the door, sitting inside and closing the door. He misses the fire stair already, it was way easier to climb.

They arrive five minutes later, the sound of the car parking bringing Damian back to the world.

He hears them coming in through the front door, kindly offering to help Colin settling on his new bedroom, the kid dismisses them saying that he'd like to be alone for a minute to think and also to become familiar with the room. He knows Damian's waiting for him and they buy the half lie easily, perhaps they also have a lot to think of, and perhaps they want to bring the bicycle they bought for Colin as his welcome surprise as well … if only they knew about his Abuse bike, Damian thinks.

"It's just me" Colin whispers the moment he closes the door.

Damian comes out of the wardrobe; eyeing the box the ginger's carrying, it's the superhero one he discovers, much to his dismay.

"I'll go for the other one later" Colin explains resting the box on his bed.

"I want to hang these on the walls" he says, lifting a newspaper clipping with the picture of superman on his hands "do you think they'll have a problem with it?"

"Hardly" by the way that woman has behaved so far, he's pretty sure she'll gladly agree with every healthy thing that makes Colin happy.

He eyes the clipping, the headline is about how Superman saved a guy from committing suicide, and he can't suppress a snort the moment he realizes it's written by Lois Lane because seriously? She's writing about her own husband, that's just…

"We talked about this Damian" Colin isn't looking for the best place to hang his second favorite article anymore; he's facing Damian now, a displeased look on his face.

"It's not about what you think" he says going to the box to inspect all of its content, he picks up the article he's been looking for "This will go fine at the wall beside of you bed" he lifts it to show his friend how it would look "it may motivate you to get out of your bed when I call you for patrol" he says elbowing Colin on the ribs.

"That was just one time" the ginger says smacking him on the arm "but yeah it'll look good there"

The article talks about how they found Zsasz' body on the river, almost frozen but still alive, which, as Damian pointed to Grayson, he didn't deserve to be but the fact that he was still breathing showed a lot of growing on his behalf, it also says that he's in jail now.

"I believe that your definition of one time is damaged, Wilkes" he sets the article on the bed, facing his friend "It happened twice"

"You can't count that, you never warned me, you just showed up in my bedroom at ass o'clock in the morning" he smiles, crossing his arms in front of his chest.

"A true hero must be always prepared" Colin laughs because he can almost hear the quotation marks on Damian's tone.

"Yeah, like you and your perfect 'this isn't something that interests the Batman so he won't catch us' plan"

"That was once, and I didn't know my father would be there"

"You're lucky he was too interested in Catwoman to even notice me" he says laughing, Damian grimaces at the picture in his head, a picture he would rather erase.

They hear a knock on the door and the lock being turned. Damian's instincts kick in and he rolls beneath the bed in record time.

"Is everything fine Colin?" asks the redhead woman inspecting the room with her eyes "I heard a voice"

"Yes, everything's fine Mrs. Hastings, I mean Rachel" he smiles, it's nervous and off but she believes him knowing that it'll take some time for him to adjust. The whole name thing is awkward enough to make her forget all about the other voice.

"Ok, then, I brought you the other box" she puts the box of clothes on the floor "call if you need anything" her smile is nervous too, she has a son now, and it's a big change in her life, and she isn't completely sure whether he likes them or not.

"Actually" he looks at the box resting in his bed "I was wondering if it's ok if I hang these on the walls?" he points at the clippings inside the box.

"Sure" her face lightens up "you want to do it with pins or with tape"

"Tape's fine, I have some here" he smiles at her, again, this time with ease "thank you"

"It's your bedroom now, Colin, you can do what you want to make you feel comfortable with it" she leave, her face soft and warm, and Colin feels sad for her and her inability to have children on her own. He'll be a good son for her, he decides "Call if you need anything"

Damian waits a couple of seconds after the door's shut before getting out of the bed.

"She's a good woman" Colin says looking happier than he has in days.

"She's fine" he says rubbing the dust from his clothes.

"Whoa that's the best I've heard you expressing of someone" says Colin impressed

"She's obviously a maternal person, I'm sure you'll enjoy your time here" he says ignoring the other statement in order to hang the article on the accorded place "now give me the tape" the ginger hands him two pieces.

"Well I never had a mom so I wouldn't really know" Colin's hanging the superman one on the wall behind his bed, Damian shrugs "but she's really nice, how was your"

"Don't" he turns to his friend, interrupting him "just don't"

"You lived with her for almost ten years"

"I know that"

"What happened?" he sits of the bed, Damian sighs.

"What part of "don't" didn't you understand?" he crosses his arms on his chest and at least now Colin knows where he picked it from.

"The "n't" part" he puts his best smile and puppy eyes, hoping one of them work.

Damian stays still, weighing his options, on one hand he can ignore Colin, finish the room and leave and don't come back until his redhead friend says he'll drop the issue, on the other hand, Bruce's still at the manor with Drake and Grayson, and they won't go to the batcave for at least an hour more, which leaves him without the option of going home for the next hour without the possibility of crossing paths with them and that won't end up well, besides, better from him than from anyone else, specially anyone within the so called batfamily.

He sighs sitting on the bed next to his friend "She wasn't as bad as they want to believe"

"Who? Your father?" the kid cocks his head to the side.

"And Grayson, Brown and especially Drake"

"Why?"

"She" he frowns, starting to play with the hem of his shirt, a gesture Colin's learnt to identify as him being either uncomfortable or nervous "my grandfather's the leader of the league of assassins and my mother's on…" he looks up, shaking his head, a sad smile on his face and Colin's struck by how many emotions are crossing Damian's usually stoic face at once "she had a mental breakdown some months ago, and it's on an asylum, a real one, not like Arkham"

"Oh, sorry, I didn't know" he looks down before averting his friend eyes again "is she going to be ok?"

"The doctors believe she will" his face is back to its normal, stoic self.

"And you"

"I don't know, I haven't seen her, so I have no information whatsoever to work with"

Colin furrows his eyebrows "you haven't seen her?"

He shakes his head "According to the doctors seeing me could worsen up her state, and they don't want to take any risk"

"That's…"

"It doesn't matter" he shrugs starting to get up "we should keep doing this" Damian says pointing the clippings.

"Well, you know what they say "doesn't matter where you come from, you can choose where to go from there" or something like that" he says smiling, Damian smiles too, even if it's not for the same reason, he makes a mental note of getting the actual said printed for his friend.

"Do you have to be so corny?" he says arching an eyebrow.

"Of course, is one of the beauties of life" he extends his arms dramatically, looking ready to sing a Broadway song, Damian only gives his a look before shaking his head and resuming to hang the newspapers.

"Well I think it's done" the ginger says, after almost an hour of work, examining the room.

"Yes, I believe it is" Damian agrees, hands hidden on his jeans.

"So what now?"

"I've got to go back to the manor" he starts to walk to the window "we need to make an easier way to climb to your bedroom, I appreciate a challenge to my skills but we'll need something faster for whenever I come here" he adds looking at the wall of branches

"Or you could get in through the front door, you know like a normal person" Colin says shrugging.

"We still have no explanation as to why you and I would know each other"

"Fine, we'll wait for the beginning of the school year for social meetings, are you still sure that the whole scholarship thing is a good idea?"

"Of course it is" he sits on the window "You're bad at meeting new people, and worse at being by your own without a comic book" Colin gives him a look "and Grayson and my father have been suggesting" his tone says that something harder than 'suggesting' would be more accurate but Colin doesn't mention it "me to enter to a school to Improve my social skills" he ended, rolling his eyes.

"Ok…" he decides it's better to drop the issue, at least for the moment "But you could still give me a call and I would go and meet you, like when we go on patrol"

"I don't think it'll be easy for you to sneak out, at least not in the first months" he says frowning.

Colin rolls his eyes "I could just asks for permission, you know"

"And say what? All your supposed friends are on the orphanage" he says leaning on the window.

"I don't know, I could say one was adopted and want to see me or something, Damian they're not spies they won't want the biggest and most perfect explanation"

"I suppose"

He's still not sure about lying to them, they've been so wonderful with him "We could always say the truth" that earns him a chuckled from the other boy.

"The truth? You mean the fact that you're Abuse, I'm Robin and we met on a dumpster while investigating about death children?" he says with a half smile "Yes that sounds like a wonderful plan"

"I meant the fact that I'm going to see you"

"Which takes us back to our first issue, we don't have an explanation as to why we'd know each other"

"A charity event?" he asks surprising himself for the suddenness of the thought, and also because, how hadn't they thought about it before? It was almost perfect.

Damian considers it for a moment, a little scowl on his face cueing that he's actually thinking about it "It's plausible" he says at last "we did do a charity for the orphanage some months ago, and I was there on the delivery of the furniture"

"See, and I can just tell them that we met there and became friends"

"We'll see" he says starting to leave.

"It could also work with your family"

"That's less likely to work, my father still remember you from the case with Scarecrow and Hush"

Colin flinches, thinking about it.

"I'll see what I can tell them to explain my visits" he says and yeah maybe he's just trying to cheer him up, but there's no need on letting anyone know it "I'll call you before my next one" he says climbing down and getting to the floor with a small jump.

Colin stays in the window watching his friend leave before misses Hastings (Rachel) calls him down, saying there's something they want to show him. He gives a last look to the window and smiles to himself, this is going to be awesome.

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><p>So... the whole Talia thing is a headcanon of mine, a way to ignore Batman Inc 8, putting Talia less OOC as she stopped the herectic before the sword part and not being able to cope with what had just happened but that's just me, ignore me n_n<p>

I hope you liked it, tell me what you think n_n

Thanks for reading


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